Ring in Encore Barrel

Just got off the phone with TC customer service. That has to be the most arrogant bunch I have dealt with. Had a stainless encore bbl. for several years, that never shot that great. Always shot sabots, but tried to find a load with conicals. 1’ groups at 100 yds. are the normal for every bullet I tried. Noticed there was a loose spot in the bore, when I was loading, so I pulled the breech plug out and shined a light down the bore. Had an enlarged ring about 6” from the end of the bbl. sent it back to TC. They called today to tell me that their gunsmith determined that I have been short starting it. He said I haven’t been seating the bullet and powder all the way down. I explained that I marked the ramrod the first time I loaded it and always seat back to the mark. He said it didn’t matter, their gunsmith had already determined what happened. I asked if it was possible that the 209 primers where pushing the bullet out before the powder lit, and he says they have never heard of the 209 primers being too hot.

Anyone else had a ring develop? All TC will do is sell another bbl.

DirtyDusty said:

Just got off the phone with TC customer service. That has to be the most arrogant bunch I have dealt with. Had a stainless encore bbl. for several years, that never shot that great. Always shot sabots, but tried to find a load with conicals. 1’ groups at 100 yds. are the normal for every bullet I tried. Noticed there was a loose spot in the bore, when I was loading, so I pulled the breech plug out and shined a light down the bore. Had an enlarged ring about 6” from the end of the bbl. sent it back to TC. They called today to tell me that their gunsmith determined that I have been short starting it. He said I haven’t been seating the bullet and powder all the way down. I explained that I marked the ramrod the first time I loaded it and always seat back to the mark. He said it didn’t matter, their gunsmith had already determined what happened. I asked if it was possible that the 209 primers where pushing the bullet out before the powder lit, and he says they have never heard of the 209 primers being too hot.

Anyone else had a ring develop? All TC will do is sell another bbl.

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If you're going to buy another barrel, buy a .45cal barrel from Luke at Arrowhead Rifles. https://www.arrowheadrifles.com/
To many reasons to purchase a .45cal barrel to list. But, it'll shoot bug hole groups if the shooter can.
Luke is a member here and will give you all the information you need.

I would suggest that your current Encore barrel is kaput. I would have no clue what actually, or who, caused the ring in the barrel. However, IMO it now junk, rather its accurate or not. Safety is always #1.

get good fast twist .45 barrel and don't look back. What the gunsmith said will cause it, but also if you have primer not set the powder off and don't reseat the bullet it could also cause it. Lot of shooters don't know this. Always check to reseat after misfire

You might cut 6” off and make a carbine out of it, not a total loss.

DirtyDusty said:

Had an enlarged ring about 6” from the end of the bbl.

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Which end of the barrel?

I assume this would be towards the breech end so cutting it shorter wouldn't be a feasible option.

I'll second or third or whatever number we're on the suggestion to get one of Luke's barrels. Great guy to deal with and the barrels are top notch.

I would not buy a new TC product I own 5 total in 3 renegades and 2 Hawkins I’d buy an older encore I hear SWTC is a PITA

TC customer service is there to talk you out of getting any customer service. I had a TC 30-06 that I bought new. I was having trouble with inconsistent results setting the shoulder. I started measuring fired cases and they were out of round by .007". The cases were like bananas. You could see the chamber was machined out of round probably by forcing a dull reamer too fast. I sent it back with fired cases. After two months of phone calls that they never returned, I got the barrel back with a note saying it was within their tolerances. After another 20 phone calls I got an email saying the same thing as the note. I never got to talk to a human being and I never bought another TC product.

Me, i like hunting with TC Omega rifles. My favorites are the light short ones. The Omega Dream Season, and the Omega X7 have put many many many deers in our freezer, and we very much appreciate the meat. The head space of all Omega rifles here in the house is virtually the same within 0.001", which no other manufacturer seems to be able to accomplish.. The last new Omega Dream Season was made by the new owner; it is just as good as any of the others. When Blackhorn was first available i had no idea there was an ignition issue using the powder. Omega rifles worked with Blackhorn first time, every time. Regarding the customer service i can say nothing; i have never dealt with them.

My opinion is..... the QLA is an ignorant marketing mistake, mistake.

The mountaineer-ultralight is a fine hunting rifle too, however Knight doesn't seem to be able to make rifles with consistent head space. No matter i still like the rifle, and take it hunting.

One time i shot the ramrod at a deer, i believe that ruined my Omega barrel. Ended with a loose spot in the barrel. That barrel isn't ever used anymore. Missed......

ShawnT said:

Which end of the barrel?

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6” from the muzzle.

DirtyDusty said:

6” from the muzzle.

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I'll repeat myself...……… I would no longer trust it myself. That barrel has been stressed. I'd go the route of purchasing a .45cal from Luke at https://www.arrowheadrifles.com/

I saw your post the first time you stated that. I was answering a question he asked me.

45-70 said:

get good fast twist .45 barrel and don't look back. What the gunsmith said will cause it, but also if you have primer not set the powder off and don't reseat the bullet it could also cause it. Lot of shooters don't know this. Always check to reseat after misfire

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Wouldn’t this cause a ring further back, towards the breech?

As far as .45 goes, I am going to stick with .50 caliber. I go to Colorado for elk, so it’s required.

So 6" from muzzle. OK Thanks, was not sure which end.

Do you happen to use a short starter at all? Could you have short started one and forgot to run it on down? Just curious.

DirtyDusty said:

Wouldn’t this cause a ring further back, towards the breech?

As far as .45 goes, I am going to stick with .50 caliber. I go to Colorado for elk, so it’s required.

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I won't answer for Bob, but the ring normally, not always, is at or near the obstruction. If the obstruction was near the breech, then yes the ring would be near the breech. In this case it was close to the end of the muzzle (6"). Its anyone's guess how it could have happened and Shawn had a great possibility, but, it was highly likely human error.

If you want to remain with a .50cal barrel, you could consider one of the Bergara drop in barrels for the Encore. They shoot.
Another suggestion is, contact Luke and maybe he has a take-off barrel laying around in excellent condition, when someone converted his 50 to a 45cal.

DirtyDusty said:

Wouldn’t this cause a ring further back, towards the breech?

As far as .45 goes, I am going to stick with .50 caliber. I go to Colorado for elk, so it’s required.

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no , it will occur where bullet stops in the bore, after primer fires,

ShawnT said:

So 6" from muzzle. OK Thanks, was not sure which end.

Do you happen to use a short starter at all? Could you have short started one and forgot to run it on down? Just curious.

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No, I have always used pyrodex pellets and the yellow tc sabots. They loaded easy. Then when I got a black powder tag, season before last, in Colorado, I tried conicals. Noticed immediately they didn’t shoot worth a hoot, so I pulled out my old Hawkens and took it. Going again this year, so I decided to try again. Noticed it was inconsistent on the resistance, when seating a conical. Decided I would send it off and get the qla removed. When I pulled the breech plug and cleaned it, I noticed the ring. It’s right where the first hanger for the ram rod is attached.

DirtyDusty said:

No, I have always used pyrodex pellets and the yellow tc sabots. They loaded easy. Then when I got a black powder tag, season before last, in Colorado, I tried conicals. Noticed immediately they didn’t shoot worth a hoot, so I pulled out my old Hawkens and took it. Going again this year, so I decided to try again. Noticed it was inconsistent on the resistance, when seating a conical. Decided I would send it off and get the qla removed. When I pulled the breech plug and cleaned it, I noticed the ring. It’s right where the first hanger for the ram rod is attached.

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Did you see it when you got it back from having the QLA cut off? This is a bit of a mystery.

ShawnT said:

Did you see it when you got it back from having the QLA cut off? This is a bit of a mystery.

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No, I caught it before I sent it off.

Well not sure what happened. Don't quite see sending it out to have the QLA cut off either if you saw the bulge prior to shipping it. Either way the fact that the bulge is there would lead me to believe that there would also be stress cracks in the steel now that you will not really see and that would render it unsafe. I agree with the others in replacing it. Sounds like a prefect time to up upgrade.